Plant-based substitutes for chicken eggs and eggs laid by other oviparous animals such as duck, goose, quail, or pheasant.
Vegans and lacto-vegetarians are likely to search for substitutes for eggs, although egg allergy is quite common so interest in egg substitutes likely extends beyond just vegans and vegetarians.
Substitutes for eggs may fulfil one or more roles normally covered by eggs.
- Taste
- Culinary function (eg. binders in cooking and baking)
- Nutrition
There are a variety of non-animal foods that can serve as egg substitutes, depending on context, and there are also specialty products (often referred to as "egg replacer") that may provide a more convincing substitute for eggs in cooking.
Vegetarianism in India normally excludes the consumption of eggs, hence the vegetarian mark (green dot) requiring foods to be free of egg product. Vegetarians in India may be the largest group of people in the world that avoid eating eggs.
For questions about use and production of eggs, use the eggs tag. Vegetarians who routinely consume both eggs and dairy are referred to as ovo-lacto vegetarian.
